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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <richarduba2010@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:27:54 -0500
Subject: ACB/NIG/555/00 !!!

ATTENTION DEAR, I AM BARR. RICHARD UBA THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO THE LATE MR. THORGRIMSON ROBERT AN AMERICAN NATIONAL, MR. THORGRIMSON ROBERT WAS A CONTRACTOR WITH OIL COMPANY HERE IN NIGERIA; I WISH TO KNOW IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MY DECEASED CLIENT WHO MADE SOME DEPOSITS AMOUNTING $20.5M USD IN A BANK HERE IN NIGERIA, LATE MR.THORGRIMSON ROBERT, 70, OF FAIRBANKS, ALASKA WHO DIED ON JANUARY 31 ABOARD ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT 261, HE DIED WITHOUT ANY REGISTERED NEXT OF KIN AND AS SUCH, THE FUNDS NOW HAVE AN OPEN BENEFICIARY MANDATE. KINDLY VERIFY THE AIR CRASH VICTIM BY VIEWING THE WEBSITE: http://www.Seattlepi.Com/Local/Mani01.Shtml I HAVE CONTACTED YOU SO THAT I CAN PRESENT YOU AS A FAMILY MEMBER TO MR.THORGRIMSON ROBERT SINCE I COULD NOT LOCATE ONE YET. THE PURPOSE FOR THAT IS TO ENABLE US WORK TOGETHER TO CLAIM THE FUND DEPOSITED BY MY DECEASED CLIENT WITH A BANK HERE, WHICH IS THE RISK OF BEING DECLARED UNCLAIMED SOONER THAN LATER IN CUSTODY OF A BANK.THE FUND IN QUESTION IS $20.5MILLION USD. WHILE THE DEPOSIT REFERENCE IS: ACB/NIG/555/00 IF THIS PROPOSAL IS OKAY BY YOU, DO GET BACK TO ME ASAP TO ENABLE ME DISCLOSE FURTHER DETAILS CONCERNING THE TRANSACTION AS WELL AS DISCUSS THE MODALITIES FOR ITS EXECUTION. LET I NOT FORGET, I WILL BE OFFERING YOU 40% OF THE TOTAL FUND FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS VENTURE. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU, BEST REGARDS, BARR.RICHARD UBA EMAIL: richarduba2110@gmail.com

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